Our New York City Team

Sarah Nolan joined KIND in September 2024 as the Managing Director of KIND’s New York City Field Office. Sarah has dedicated her career to building and sustaining innovative immigration legal services programs. Prior to joining KIND, Sarah was the Legal Director at the New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children (NJCIC) where she founded a new legal services program serving youth across New Jersey and co-led a network of nonprofits dedicated to advancing the rights of immigrant youth. Previously, Sarah was a supervising attorney at LegalHealth, a division of NYLAG, where she managed a specialized team providing on-site immigration legal services at NYC public hospitals. Sarah has also served as consultant to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs on the implementation of a large-scale immigration legal services program. She began her specialization in immigration at Brooklyn Defender Services representing youth and established a new program to connect youth with law firms for pro bono legal assistance. Sarah has previously worked as an associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP and served as law clerk to the Honorable Holly B. Fitzsimmons, United States Magistrate Judge in the District of Connecticut. She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her B.A. from Dartmouth College.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Gabriela Mendez received her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Passionate about the rights of refugees and immigrants all over the world, she has traveled to Lesotho and Mexico City in pursuit of holding governments accountable to violations of human rights including immigrant rights. Immediately after law school she held various fellowships including at Asylum Access where she worked on researching the treatment of refugees in countries of first asylum such as Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. And also had a fellowship with Human Rights Advocates working on finding avenues for Native American communities to reacquire their sacred cultural patrimony from auctions houses. As an immigration attorney at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, California, she worked on the immigration detention team helping individuals get out of immigration custody and defending them against deportation. Most recently, Gabriela has provided direct representation to children and families as a staff attorney at the University of San Francisco School of Law's Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic before asylum officers and immigration judges. This clinic, which she first participated in during law school, gave her the opportunity to spend a week in Dilley, Texas at a detention center where recently arrived mothers and their children are sadly detained. It opened her eyes to the extreme injustice in our U.S. immigration system.

Halina Schiffman-Shilo is a Senior Attorney at KIND. Prior to joining KIND, Halina was a senior staff attorney with the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), where she focused on removal defense and humanitarian relief, including asylum, SIJS, U/T-visas, and VAWAs, among other applications for relief. Halina received her JD from New York Law School and her BA from McGill University. She is admitted to practice law in New York State and lives in Queens with a very energetic pitbull mix.

Martin was first exposed to immigration law during law school as part of his 2L summer internship for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Chief Counsel, in San Diego, California. After passing the bar, he pursued a fellowship for a non-profit legal service in New York City that provides representation for low-income immigrant children as well as training and seminars for attorneys fulfilling their pro bono and CLE requirements. Among many forms of relief, Martin is proficient in asylum, VAWA and SIJS self-petitions, employment-based petitions (Hs, Ls, Os, and TN), cancellation of removal, stay of removal, requests for prosecutorial discretion and parole, as well as adjustment of status (green card) applications. He completed his undergraduate studies at Columbia University in 2009 and graduated from Fordham University School of Law in 2013. Martin is originally from Los Angeles and currently resides in Brooklyn.

Mikaela Harris is a Senior Attorney at KIND where she both advises pro bono attorneys seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, asylum, and other forms of relief for their child clients and represents child clients directly. Formerly, Mikaela worked in the Immigration Intervention Project at Sanctuary for Families (SFF) where she screened victims of sexual and gender-based violence for immigration benefits. At SFF, Mikaela represented clients applying for affirmative immigration benefits such as U Visas, VAWA petitions, T Visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and asylum as well as in removal proceedings before the Executive Office of Immigration Review. Mikaela speaks both French and Spanish, and is a graduate of Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), Georgetown University Law Center, and the University of Florida, summa cum laude. She is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.

Marie Wavre is a Senior Attorney at KIND’s New York Office. Before joining KIND in July 2024, Marie was a Supervising Attorney on the Detained Minors Project at The Door’s Legal Services Center in New York City. There, she represented minors detained in Office Refugee Resettlement (ORR) shelters with asylum applications and SIJS petitions before Immigration Court, USCIS, and Family Court. Marie started working in immigration law in private practice at the Law Offices of Tenzin Wangyal, assisting Tibetan and South Asian refugees in immigration proceedings through family-based and humanitarian-based applications before Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, USCIS, and the Administrative Appeals Office. Before practicing law, Marie worked in human rights and political affairs with the United Nations in Botswana and for several nonprofit organizations in the United States and abroad. Marie is a graduate of Universite Jean Moulin Lyon 3 (2009), Universite Paris II Pantheon-Assas (2014), Fordham University School of Law (2015), and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (2018). She also holds a Certificate in Forced Migrations from Oxford University. Marie is admitted to practice law in New York, and is fluent in French, Romanian, and Spanish.

Andrea Rodriguez Burckhardt is a Staff Attorney with the Detained team at KIND’s New York office. In this role, Andrea provides legal services to unaccompanied children facing removal proceedings through zealous direct representation as well as pro bono facilitation with KIND’s network of pro bono attorneys. Before joining KIND, Andrea was an Immigration Policy Counsel with Masa Group, LLC in Washington, D.C, where she advocated for progressive immigration policies changes in the federal government. An immigrant herself, Andrea is dedicated to advocating for immigrants’ rights. Her experience is guided by her passion for human rights and her desire to help others. She received her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and her master’s degree in International Relations from the AU School of International Service. Prior to law school, Andrea graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s in History and Political Communication studies.

Belzie Barillas is an Staff Attorney in KIND’s New York Office. She joined KIND in August 2023. Prior to joining KIND, Belzie was a law clerk at Soto Law PLLC, where she worked on a variety of immigration matters, including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Asylum, Temporary Protected Status, U-Visas, and family petitions. During law school she interned at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and Community Resource Center in New York. Belzie holds a J.D. from Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where she participated in the Deportation Defense Clinic and the Immigration Law and Border Enforcement Study Abroad Program. Prior to law school, Belzie volunteered with the Safe Passage Project. She is licensed to practice law in New York.

Carla Miranda joins KIND’s New York office as Staff Attorney in February 2024. Carla is very passionate about advocating for, defending, and protecting the rights of immigrants. She has years of experience working with immigrants victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. Carla has represented immigrants in U and T visa petitions; VAWA self-petitions, Divorce and Battered Spouse Waivers self-petitions; Special Immigrant Juvenile Status applications; DACA applications; Asylum applications and other immigration benefits. She has also conducted “know- your-rights” and immigration benefits trainings alongside a variety of community-based organizations in New York. She believes that every migrant and immigrant deserve to be treated with dignity and respect wherever they live, wherever they go. She graduated from New York University School of Law obtaining her Master of Laws “LL.M.” in International Legal Studies. At NYU, Carla focused her studies on human rights, immigration, and asylum law. Carla was born and raised from Venezuela. In her home country, she graduated “Cum Laude” from the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello with a Bachelor of Laws “LL.B.”. Carla is an attorney admitted to practice law in New York State and Venezuela. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Chuck Kress is Staff Attorney at KIND where he represents minors in their immigration cases and mentors pr-bono attorneys. Chuck is a recent graduate of the CUNY School of Law and is admitted to the New York State Bar. While in law school, Chuck served as a project manager for the International Refugee and Assistance Project. Chuck graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a dual degree in Spanish Literature and Political Science. Chuck is fluent in Spanish.

Bio coming soon!

Diana Ricaurte is a Staff Attorney at KIND’s New York Office. Before joining KIND, Diana was an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow (IJC) placed in CARECEN. As an IJC fellow, Diana represented families and UC’s in removal proceedings living on Long Island. Diana predominantly worked with single mothers and their children seeking asylum in the United States along with UC’s eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). Diana also served as a Staff Attorney at The Door working with Detained Youth in ORR custody. Diana received her JD from St. John’s University School of Law and her BA from SUNY Binghamton. Diana is admitted to practice law in New York.

Bio coming soon!

Hugo is an immigrant from Mexico and grew up in Portland, Oregon. He went to Portland Community College earning an Associate’s of Paralegal Studies and found a passion for immigration work after becoming a US Citizen. He went on to Portland State University graduating cum laude with a Bachelors in Political Science. He earned a Juris Doctor from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland. During law school he had the privilege of going to Dilley, TX to work at the South Texas Family Residential Center assisting mothers and children arriving at the border. He also clerked for Hon. Marco Hernandez of the U.S. District Court of Oregon. After graduating he clerked for Hon. David Rees of the Multnomah County Circuit Court. He recently moved to NYC and is excited to get to know the neighborhoods and take his Cairn Terrier (Maya) for walks and find great food.

Kevin Worthington is a Staff Attorney at KIND’s New York Office. Prior to joining KIND in October of 2023, Kevin worked with detained immigrant children as a Child Advocate at the Young Center. Kevin is a graduate of CUNY School of Law and is admitted to the New York State bar. Kevin graduated from the “Institut d’Etudes Politeques de Strasbourg” with the equivalent of Bachelor’s degree in Politcal Science and holds a Master’s Degree in Territorial Development studies from the “Universite de Grenoble” in France. Prior to practicing law as a housing attorney for the benefit of NYC low-income tenants, Kevin worked at the New York City Council as a community organizer and at “Programa Casa Refugiados”, a joint program with the UNHCR where he coordinated programs geared towards the local integration of refugee and asylee families in Mexico City. Kevin is fluent in French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Jessica Cornejo-Mercado is a Staff Attorney at KIND’s New York City Office. She is a bilingual (English/Spanish) public interest attorney dedicated to increasing immigrant access to humanitarian relief and justice. She is experienced in litigating defensive asylum applications before the New York Executive Office of Immigration Review as well as state court proceedings for children who are eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Jessica is passionate about working with immigrant youth, specifically, since she was once an undocumented child herself. She hopes to help her young clients achieve stability and sanctuary in the United States through her work. Before joining KIND, Jessica was an IJC Fellow with Catholic Charities Community Services. She earned her Juris Doctorate at New York Law School and is admitted to practice law in New York.

Maria Ortega-Dilone is a Staff Attorney at KIND's New York City Office. Maria was first exposed to Immigration Law when she interned at the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs in 2014. During her time in law school, she had an array of exposure to immigration law. During her first year of law school, she traveled to Texas and volunteered with RAICES, where she assisted women and children in detention centers with their Credible Fear Interviews. She later interned with Catholic Charities of NY. There she assisted Unaccompanied Minors with their Asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile applications. Maria was part of the St. John’s Refugee and Immigration Litigation Clinic, where she continued her work assisting families obtain immigration relief. After law school, Maria was a Staff Attorney for the New York City Housing Authority Department of Equal Opportunity. She conducted investigations regarding discrimination and harassment. Maria received her Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from the City College of New York. Maria is admitted to practice law in New York and is fluent in Spanish.

Bio coming soon!

Molly Kammien is a Acting Staff Attorney at KIND’s New York office. Prior to joining KIND, Ms. Kammien worked as a litigation associate at Seward & Kissel LLP and provided pro bono representation to clients seeking asylum, U Visas, VAWA petitions, and Battered Spouse Waivers. Ms. Kammien also interned as a Legal Fellow at Refugee Rights Turkey in Istanbul and with the Bronx Defenders’ Immigration Defense team. She received her JD from Brooklyn Law School and her BA from Boston College. Ms. Kammien is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey.

Natasha Matias is a Staff Attorney at KIND’s New York Office, joining the team in May 2023, after spending five years at Blake & Associates, P.C. There she worked as a paralegal and later promoted to staff attorney after being admitted to practice in New York. While at Blake & Associates, P.C., her practice focused on family-based petitions, adjustment of status, and VAWA petitions. Natasha received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from St. John’s University and her Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School, where she took part in the Safe Harbor Clinic assisting clients with their asylum cases. Natasha is fluent in Spanish and was a member of Latin American Law Student’s Association while at BLS.

Veronica Montalvo is a Staff Attorney in KIND’s New York Office. Prior to joining KIND, Veronica was an associate at Kelley Drye & Warren, where her practice focused on commercial and complex civil litigation. As an associate, Veronica provided pro bono representation to clients in a variety of immigration matters, including asylum cases, VAWA and SIJS petitions, and U-visas. Veronica completed her undergraduate studies at Columbia University in 2009 and graduated from Columbia Law School in 2016. During law school, she represented unaccompanied minors in their asylum and SIJS claims as a member of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic. She is admitted to practice in New York.

Bio coming soon.

Stephanie Ortega is a Senior Paralegal at KIND New York’s field office. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Criminology, Law and Justice with minors in Philosophy, Sociology, and Spanish. Before joining the KIND team, she gained experience in immigration law working on humanitarian visas with survivors of felonious crimes developing her interest in gender based violence work with nonprofits in Chicago. She has a special interest working with children and adolescents in a bilingual capacity as she was a Spanish teacher and a volunteer court advocate for neglected children in foster care. Most recently she worked at a rape crisis center providing free services and advocacy to survivors of sexual assault; she joined the KIND team in August 2021. In the future, she aspires to attend law school and continue her passion in social justice work.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Cecilia Kennedy joined KIND in October 2023 and supports the Legal Programs team as a Paralegal on the Detained team. She graduated from Tufts University in May 2023, where she majored in International Relations and Spanish and minored in Latin American Studies. Prior to college, she participated in Tufts’ gap year program in Cuenca, Ecuador, where she worked primarily with young students with disabilities. As an undergrad, she cultivated her dedication to human rights and immigrant advocacy and volunteered and interned with various organizations working to support immigrant communities, including Lawyers for Civil Rights, Center for New Americans, Enroot, and In Reach (formerly Asylum Connect). During her junior year, she spent semester abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she continued her studies and interned with Pilares, a nonprofit advocating for the rights and well-being of vulnerable children. She also volunteers as Chief Development Officer at Project Global story, an international education nonprofit, where she is currently working to expand the organization’s programs into Latin America.

Guadalupe Cruz joined KIND in June 2023 and supports the Legal Programs team as a Paralegal. She graduated from CUNY John Jay of Criminal Justice College, with a Bachelor of Arts major in Psychology. Alongside that she also minored in Anthropology. After graduation she started her passion to help immigrants right began in 2015 when she first started working with a private firm in Queens. She gained a exquisite amount of immigration comprehension towards immigrants’ rights throughout the span of five years. She then went onto work with a non-profit organization Catholic Charities Community Services in the Bronx which completely changed her life. She was a Legal Program Coordinator for the LOPC (Legal Orientation Program Coordinator) for minors and guardians’ reunification. Guadalupe was in charge of helping minors, children and teenagers understand their immigration rights in this country. She helped make referrals to the minors and guardians for school enrollment, medical insurance, pro bono legal services, and therapy referrals. Now she will help advocate the rights and protection of unaccompanied migrant children at KIND.

Bio coming soon!

Jessica Alicea joined KIND in April 2023 and supports the Legal Programs team as a Paralegal. She graduated from Gettysburg College, with an individualized major which she named Human Rights and Social Justice. Alongside she also minored in Peace and Justice studies. Throughout her undergrad she participated in various clubs on campus such as The Butterfly Coalition. The goal for this club was to give undocumented students and alias a space to express their concerns and have a sense of community. During her senior year she became a Fielding Fellow at The Eisenhower Institute where collectively all fellows received a Diplomacy Lab Project from the U.S. State Department. After graduation she worked as a legal assistant at a non-profit called Orlando Center for Justice. She worked to provide legal relief to vulnerable and underrepresented populations in Florida with various staff attorneys. In September of 2022, she interned for The Bail Project combating mass incarceration by disrupting the money bail system. There she had the opportunity to work with bail disruptors to help restore the presumption of innocence, reunite families, and challenge a system that criminalizes race and poverty through different methods.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Rosalyn Valdez recently joined the KIND team in May 2021, supporting the Legal Services Department at their New York City office. She graduated cum laude from Quinnipiac University with a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies and a minor in psychology. She has dedicated her career to serving vulnerable populations in New York City. In her most recent position, she served as a Housing Service Coordinator for individuals with a wide range of mental health concerns. She provided trauma-informed, recovery-oriented support for a caseload of 28 - 50 individuals, which included the coordination of health and community services, facilitating fitness and social groups, and providing resources that allowed them to accomplish their individual goals. Throughout the pandemic she also ensured everyone she supported remained healthy physically and mentally. During her spare time, she volunteers as a College-Prep Mentor and tutor at South Bronx United and as a Dance Fitness Instructor with Shape Up NYC. Her life mission is to build a more equitable society through person centered services that focus on the individual’s needs, instead of what we assume they need.

Bio coming soon!

Sheyla Aguilar recently joined the KIND team in June 2023, supporting the Legal Services Department as a Paralegal at their New York City Office. She graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. In her most recent position, she was a Skills Trainer at Cayuga Centers where she served undocumented migrant children by providing them with hands-on life skills while in ORR care. Prior to this, she gained immigration law knowledge as a legal assistant for a boutique firm in Providence, RI where she realized her passion was in serving immigrant communities and assist them in navigating the immigration legal system. Previously, she had several years of experience working in nonprofits with families and juveniles involved in the family court system working towards reunification by helping them achieve their individualized plans through strength-based approaches. At KIND, she will use her passion and empathy to continue to serve the immigrant youth community.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

At the age of 9 years old, Melissa, along with her mother and younger brother, relocated to the United States from their native country, Colombia. Although young, Melissa recognized how much easier and useful it would have been for her, and her family, to transition into the US if the appropriate resources and services had been available. Fueled by this experience, Melissa has been actively involved in numerous projects serving vulnerable populations. At The College of New Jersey, she taught English to undocumented immigrants and provided them with tools and resources on how to improve their life style, and volunteered with a group of autistic adults and at a state prison. Immediately after graduation, Melissa became a corps member for Teach for America and taught Spanish for 2 years in Detroit, Michigan. This impactful experience, undoubtedly, confirmed her passion and commitment towards empowering marginalized populations. After Teach for America, Melissa received her master’s degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. Melissa could not be more thrilled to be working with KIND as a social service coordinator, and is looking forward to helping her team grow in order to provide clients with opportunities, and long-lasting positive changes.

Monica is a Social Services Supervisor with KIND. She graduated with a Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University in 2016 and previously graduated with a Bachelors of Psychology from Montclair State University. Prior to joining KIND, she dedicated four years of work with BCFS Health & Human Services, where she provided emotional support, advocacy, and resettlement placement assessments for unaccompanied minors, in accordance with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Monica also interned with the International Rescue Committee located in Elizabeth, NJ, where she provided refugee families and their children, assistance with integration into U.S. educational system, orientation, school enrollment, ESL curriculum enrollment, and access to community resources. As a first generation child of Latino immigrant parents, Monica understands there are many challenges migrant families face upon entering the United States, including lack of knowledge or awareness regarding their legal rights, communication and difficulties in adaptation to a new environment, culture and community. Monica is eager and passionate to be able to provide assistance to families in need and be a part of the KIND team.

Ixamar Peralta is the Program Coordinator, Social Services within Legal Programs at Kids In Need of Defense (KIND). She joined KIND in December 2023. Before joining KIND, Ixamar served as Operations Manager for several non-profit organizations over the past 6 years, supporting marginalized children and families in crisis in the California Bay Area. She has also volunteered with a crisis support line supporting Spanish-speaking parents in need of food, support, and resources within the Bay Area. Ixamar holds an Associates Degree in Medical Administration from The Wood Tobe-Coburn School and currently pursuing a B.S. in Human Services with a concentration in Children and Families at Southern New Hampshire University.

Argelia Tlatelpa Perez recently completed her MSW from Fordham University in October 2019. She received her Bachelor's degree majoring in Psychology from City College of New York City in May 2009. Her working experience at Little Sisters of Assumption has been empowering immigrant families and educating them that they have rights and a voice in NY disregarding their legal status. While working with families she has been able to provide support to parents when a crisis arose. She has also provided play therapy when working with children who experience traumatic experiences at the Child Center of NY. Her dedication and contribution when working with immigrant families and young children who immigrate seeking a better future is rewarding to her because she knows that when working with children she is contributing to have a better society, human beings and gives hope to those in need.

Bio coming soon!

Andrea Camacho supports the Social Services Department at KIND. Before her role as a Social Services Coordinator, in 2017 she was brought on to the KIND NY Legal Services Department as a paralegal. She graduated with her Master’s of Social Work from the City University of New York at Hunter College. Throughout the course of her degree, she interned at the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, where she spearheaded a resource guide project for older youth in foster care. She also interned with an international agency focused on minimum standards for child protection in humanitarian settings. Before KIND, Andrea worked with recently arrived unaccompanied minors in New York based detention centers, providing legal screenings and Know Your Rights Presentations. Andrea hopes to use her previous work experience and Social Work education to continue her work with immigrant youths.

Hannah started with the KIND team as a Social Services Coordinator in New York in October 2022. Before joining KIND, she worked as an Immigration and Family Law Paralegal at the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, where she supported survivors of domestic violence and serious crimes. A Texas native, Hannah also worked as an Intake Specialist with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid. She graduated from Tufts University with a double major in Community Health and International Relations with a concentration in Latin America. Her passion for travel took her to Costa Rica, where she worked as a Project Supervisor with Amigos de las Americas, and to Cuba, where she studied immigration and public health.

Bio coming soon!